Legislation in Congress would get rid of dollar bills and replace them with coins. Proponents say coins are easier to use and save the country money in the long run. The bill people say none of this is true.

Should we kill the dollar bill?

On today's show we go deep into the nature of money itself, and we find a clear answer to this question.

We haul in a giant box of coins, talk to the guy who actually makes dollar bills, and watch a Senator try to use a vending machine.

Imagine you could call up a friend and say, "Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy." Now imagine that's actually a fun evening. That's what we're going for at Planet Money. Want to know more? Check out our "about" page. Want to connect with the Planet Money team? Send us an email.